South Carolina Ports Authority CEO James I Newsome, III will be the commencement speaker at the Graduate School of the College of Charleston ceremony on Friday, May 9, 2014.
Approximately 150 students will receive their degrees during the ceremony in TD Arena starting at 5:30 p.m.
Philanthropist and community leader Edwin S. Pearlstine will also receive an honorary degree during the ceremony.
Jim Newsome became President & CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority on September 1, 2009 and is only the fifth leader in the history of the organization. He was previously President of Hapag-Lloyd (America), Inc., which is part of the world’s fifth-largest ocean shipping company.
Prior to joining Hapag-Lloyd in 1997, Mr. Newsome was with Nedlloyd Lines from 1987 to 1997. He was Executive Vice President of the Americas for Nedlloyd Lines and President of Nedlloyd Lines (USA) Corporation based in Atlanta.
A Savannah native, Newsome received a bachelor’s degree in Transportation and Logistics in 1976 and an MBA in Transportation and Logistics in 1977 from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.
The College will host a reception on the TD Arena’s concourse level immediately following the Commencement Exercises to honor the graduates and their guests.
The Graduate School of the College of Charleston capitalizes on the clear strengths of our faculty and facilities while focusing on the professional needs of the Charleston community. The Graduate School offers 19 master’s degree programs and 8 graduate-level certificate programs prepare students to fill important roles in communities as teachers, scholars, environmentalists, historic preservationists, public administrators, and business leaders.
